How To Store Potatoes So They Don't Go Bad

This inexpensive, starchy vegetable is a pantry staple, but it's important to store them wisely so they don't go bad. From proper airflow and ventilation to taking a little extra time to separate your produce items, we've rounded up top tips for storing potatoes correctly so you don't wind up tossing valuable food in the compost pile.

Before you know it, you'll be cooking up fresh potatoes any number of ways, from boiling and broiling for side dishes and soups to baking and frying.

Give Them Proper Air Flow

Potatoes release carbon dioxide and water in the form of a vapor, so a tightly sealed bag will get damp without proper ventilation. Before putting them away for storage, inspect all the potatoes for soft spots, sprouts, mold, or shovel damage. Cut away any damaged areas and use those potatoes immediately. Only spotless potatoes will keep well in long-term storage.

If you buy a pre-packaged bag of potatoes, the plastic bag should already have air holes. You can keep the potatoes in this bag, just make sure not to seal it too tightly. If you purchased just a few loose potatoes, transfer them to a cardboard box, basket, mesh bag, paper bag, or another well-ventilated container.

Keep Them Out of Sunlight

Potatoes should not be kept out in the open on your countertop. Potatoes are plants and, when exposed to sunlight, they begin to produce chlorophyll, turn green, and eventually wrinkle and rot.

Avoid Moisture

You do know how potatoes grow, don't you? In the dark, moist ground. So, if you store potatoes in a dark, moist environment, such as underneath your sink, they will continue to grow and sprout.

Maintain A Cool and Dry Environment

Store your potatoes in a cool, dark place (45°F to 50°F is the ideal temperature range), such as your pantry or unheated basement. Do not store them on top of your refrigerator or next to your stove, as both spots emit heat. And never store potatoes in the refrigerator—the cold temperature turns potato starch into sugar.

Separate Fruits and Veggies

This is a tip that even folks who store their potatoes in the dryest and coolest of places forget: fruits and vegetables should not be stored together. So keep those potatoes away from your tomatoes!

Jerlyn Jones, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Atlanta, explains: "For example, apples and potatoes stored together produce ethylene gas, which make both apples and potatoes rot."